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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29949948">The Soldier Who Cheated Death</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ribby/pseuds/Ribby'>Ribby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Lord of the Rings RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2005-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2005-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:40:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29949948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ribby/pseuds/Ribby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For a very lucky few, death is not so certain...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sean Bean/Viggo Mortensen</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Soldier Who Cheated Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>After nearly a year on my hard drive, this one's done as well--and yes, it too has smut.  Don't get used to it, folks--but I think the smut fairy whapped me on the back of the head this weekend! *grin*  This one's for <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="https://seleneheart.livejournal.com/profile"></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="https://seleneheart.livejournal.com/">seleneheart</a>, my fairy tale sister, who understands, and does a mean beta-read to boot!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They say that there's nothing certain in this world but birth, death, and taxes.  And for most of us, that's true.  But for a very lucky few, death is not so certain...</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The country was finally at peace after many years of warfare.  A soldier named Sean, who had fought for most of his years, and had neither wife nor child, decided to return to the town where he had been born, for he had not seen it in many years.  But as he had no money, for the army could not afford to pay their departing soldiers, he had no way to return home except to walk.  And so he began the long walk home.</p>
<p>He had been walking for several days, and had little left in his pack--only two stale biscuits--but he was content, whistling tunelessly down the road as he walked.</p>
<p>"Could you spare some food for a hungry man, soldier?"  The question came from a beggar at the side of the road, clad in rags.</p>
<p>Sean thought longingly of the two biscuits in his pack... but he was a kind man, and gave one to the beggar, who ate it slowly but with obvious relish.</p>
<p>"Because you have been so kind, sir, I will give you a gift in turn... a musical whistle to replace that off-key warbling of yours."</p>
<p>Sean smiled, and thanked the beggar, not thinking anything of it, and made his way back down the road...</p>
<p>...whistling a perfect tune as he walked.</p>
<p>Several miles down the road, he passed a second beggar, who again stopped him and asked for food.  Not without a twinge of regret, he parted with his last biscuit, which the beggar ate greedily.</p>
<p>"My gift to you, soldier, because you are a good man, is this."  The beggar passed him a small glass inset in a metal frame.</p>
<p>"What is it?"</p>
<p>"A death-glass.  With it, you can see Death... if there is anyone sick, look at their sickbed through the glass.  If Death is standing at the foot of the bed, the sick person will recover.  If, though, he stands at the head, there is no hope and the person will die."</p>
<p>"A fine gift, my friend... but why give it to me?  Surely it's worth more than a single biscuit?"</p>
<p>The beggar laughed.  "Ah, well, I've held this death-glass for many years, and when I was young and foolish, I tried to cheat Death with it... and he cursed me to never die until I passed the glass on to a truly good man... which you are, soldier.  So mind you never try to cross Death when he's made up his mind to take a sick person, or you may end up cursed as I did."</p>
<p>"I'll remember, sir... and thank you," Sean replied.</p>
<p>"No, thank you, young soldier.  I can finally find peace."  And with those words, he grew still.  Sean, curious, looked through the death-glass... only to see the old man being led off by Death, a hooded and cloaked figure.  When he put the glass down, the old man's body was still there... but there was no life left in him.</p>
<p>Sean wrapped the glass carefully and stowed it in his pack, and then built a stone cairn around the old man's body, not wanting to leave him out for the birds.</p>
<p>And he went back to his hometown, whistling tunefully all the way.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>All was not well, though, in his village.  A childhood friend, the man Sean had grown up with and one he had called brother for years, had fallen deathly ill, and no cure could be found.  The village was in mourning, for David's death seemed certain.</p>
<p>But Sean refused to believe it--he would not let his best friend perish, not if he could help it.  So, after greeting David's sister warmly, and swearing he would do what he could to aid her brother, he asked that he be left alone with David in his room for a short time.</p>
<p>Sean was shocked by what he saw--his dear friend, formerly strong and hearty, was pale and wan with illness, even his fire-red hair and sky-blue eyes leached of color.  When the two men embraced, he felt the weakness in his friend's frame and was greatly troubled.  But perhaps, with the death-glass, he could see what fate held in store.</p>
<p>Asking David to close his eyes, Sean waited until he was sure the other man could not see him, and looked through the death-glass, his breath held in suspense at what he might find.</p>
<p>Death sat at the foot of the bed, looked at Sean, and smiled.  Then, he got up and walked away.</p>
<p>Sean was jubilant--David would recover!  He wrapped the precious glass in its silk cloth, stowed it in its pouch, and gave David the news.  He knew his friend would not believe it, but he was confident.</p>
<p>Several weeks passed, during which David recovered rapidly from the fever, aided by his friend's presence.  When he was hale again, his eyes and hair and lips back to their blazing colors, he asked Sean to accompany him to the King's palace.</p>
<p>"The palace?  What takes you there?"</p>
<p>"Has no one told you, Sean?  I am the Captain of the King's Guard."</p>
<p>Sean laughed delightedly.  "I always knew you'd amount to something, <i>fy'n brawd</i>.  More so than I, a common soldier.  I'll come with you gladly-I've always wished to meet the king.  What is he like?"</p>
<p>David fell silent for a moment, thinking.  "He is a good, gentle man," he said finally.  "A warrior when he must be; and then, you would not wish to be in his path.  I would say he is one of the best men I know...aside from you, of course, <i>brodyr min.</i>" And here he smiled, blindingly bright.  "I think you will like him."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>And so up to the palace they went, though it was a slow progress, as many people stopped to congratulate David on his remarkable recovery--and others simply to gaze upon the two men, for they were a stunning pair, with their blond hair and bright eyes.</p>
<p>But finally, they arrived at the palace, where David was recognized with much clamour and back-slapping from his fellow soldiers, and they were ushered into the King's study, as this was certainly not a formal audience.</p>
<p>The King was busy at his desk, and so did not acknowledge them immediately... but David, well used to his King's abstraction, sat quietly in one of the comfortable chairs scattered around the room, motioning for Sean to do the same.  The King knew they were there, and would deal with them in his own time.</p>
<p>Sean studied his King covertly, and was impressed with what he saw: a strong, elegant man around his own age, graying slightly at the temples, and clad in simple garments.  <i>Not one for fripperies--that's a good sign.</i></p>
<p>And then the King looked up and caught his appraising eye--and Sean found himself staring into a fine-boned face and eyes the color of a stormy sea.  And he was lost.</p>
<p>The King broke the stare with a light chuckle.  "David, it's good to have you back... the soldiers were getting restless without a Captain to lead them."</p>
<p>David smiled broadly.  "They have a Captain, sire--you.  I'm just a ringleader."</p>
<p>The King laughed, throwing back his head.  And if Sean had been dazzled by the King's eyes, his laugh and his smile cinched it--he was completely smitten.</p>
<p>"David, you've been remiss.  Introduce me to your friend, please?"  There was a teasing note in the King's voice, though under it Sean could hear steel.</p>
<p>"My Lord, this is my closest friend, Sean, also a soldier... and the man to thank for my being here and not languishing in my sickbed.  Sean, this is King Viggo."</p>
<p>"A soldier and healer, then?  My thanks, Sean... I could not have replaced my Captain if I had lost him."</p>
<p>"And I would have lost a good friend, Sire."  Sean bowed to the King.  "Thank you for seeing me--it's nice to put a face and a voice to the man I fought for all these years."</p>
<p>The King smiled. "I wager the face has changed somewhat."</p>
<p>"Undoubtedly, my Lord, but it's still a face I'd fight for."  <i>What made me say that?  Now he's going to think I have no respect for him...</i> Sean thought wildly.</p>
<p>"Would you indeed?" said Viggo thoughtfully.  "David, had you any luck in finding a bodyguard for me before your illness?"</p>
<p>"No, sire, I had not... most people are too intimidated by you.  And you said you wanted someone to tell you when you were being a fool and taking too much on yourself."</p>
<p>Viggo smiled, and turned to Sean.  "And I think I've found someone.  Sean, would you join my household as a bodyguard and occasional healer?"</p>
<p>Sean was speechless for a moment, then opened his mouth to decline.  Him, a bodyguard?  A royal bodyguard?  Preposterous.  Surely not--he was just a common soldier.  But to his very great surprise, what came out of his mouth was, "My lord, I will."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>So it was that Sean was sworn in as the king's paxman and healer--"serving my lord and my king, as best I may, to the end of my life and beyond it if he shall ask it of me."</p>
<p>King Viggo exchanged knives with Sean, kissing the hilt to bless it and seal the vow--and then kissed his new paxman, a household blessing--once on the forehead, once on each cheek, and once on the lips.</p>
<p>And then Sean knew he had spoken truth--he would do anything in his power to keep this man safe, even if it meant his life.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Sean settled well into his new position, and became a well-known figure both around the court and around the villages surrounding the castle.  The sight of the tall, handsome king closely followed by his equally tall and handsome paxman became a common thing among the people, who found that they loved Sean as much as they loved their king--perhaps more, for Sean kept the king they loved alive.</p>
<p>He became by his very position a close confidant of the king, and knew much of his business, both public and private.  But one day, as they were taking their ease in the king's private chambers, Viggo revealed a side of himself Sean had never seen.</p>
<p>"Have you ever thought of marrying, Sean?"</p>
<p>"What, me?  Soldiering all my life, and never home?" Sean laughed. "Not likely.  And you, Viggo?  Why have you not married?  Surely there have been political marriages you could have made?"</p>
<p>"Plenty--but much to my advisors' distress, I wish to marry for love, not politics.  I have named my sister-son my heir, and he is well loved by the people--so I have no worries on that score.  I may marry for love if I wish."</p>
<p>"And have you found someone you could marry for love?" Sean's voice was tight--this was an unexpected complication.  He was not jealous... but he did not wish to share his king.</p>
<p>"You are my closest companion, Sean.  I've trusted you with my life, my health, everything--except one thing.  Until now, I've never trusted you with my heart."  Viggo leaned forward and took Sean's hands in his.</p>
<p>"Your heart, Sire?"</p>
<p>"If I could, I would share this kingdom with you--but even the most forgiving of my lords and counselors would not accept you."</p>
<p>Sean smiled--this was a fine way to propose!  "A poor soldier as a king's consort...heaven forbid!"  He kissed Viggo's hands gently.  "I would rather be your bodyguard and healer.  I'm not fit to be a high lord.  For one thing," and he grinned so widely Viggo felt his heart stop, "I've never met a high lord who whistled."</p>
<p>Viggo laughed, and pulled his paxman into a rough embrace.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The king was beloved by his people, and his paxman as well.  Yet he had enemies, as every ruler does.  Even the most vigilant man cannot be everywhere at once, try though Sean might.</p>
<p>A much-delayed errand had brought them both to the village, and they were enjoying the rare freedom from royal choices and commands.  Suddenly, a peaceful street was teeming with people, arguing and shoving, and Sean was trapped far from his King, unable to reach him.  With horror, he watched as one of the crowd began advancing on Viggo with a knife, and realized he couldn't possibly get to him in time.  So he did the next best thing--he whistled, piercingly loud, loud enough to distract the would-be assassin and alert Viggo to the trouble. Viggo spun, and the knife, aimed for his heart, glanced across his collarbone and into his shoulder--but no further damage was done, and the man was detained by Viggo's guards.</p>
<p>Sean felt like he had failed his king... how could he have let himself be distracted?  He was the King's bodyguard, for heaven's sake!  All the long trip back to the castle he brooded.  But reaction didn't set in until he was cleaning Viggo's wounds.</p>
<p><i>An inch to the left, and I would have lost him,</i> he thought, and his hands shook so badly that he had to put down the cloth for fear of hurting Viggo further.  <i>I could not live without him.  He is my life.</i></p>
<p>Viggo, sensitive to Sean's moods as always, reached to comfort him.  "It was a shallow wound, Sean--and you did not know.  No harm done.  Hush, be comforted.  I'm here."  And with that, he gathered his shaking paxman into his arms, running his hands soothingly over the broad back until the shaking stopped.</p>
<p>Sean, still shaken, clung to his King, needing the comfort of touch to know he was still living, still breathing, still there.  His hands roamed unceasingly over the broad, beloved body, and after a time, both their touches changed from comfort to something greater... something stronger.</p>
<p>Thinking of nothing but the strong body under his hands, Sean stripped Viggo quickly, glorying in the beauty and strength of his body--strength that was quickly apparent as Viggo reversed their positions and stripped Sean himself.  They kissed for a long while, enjoying the feel of each other's bodies, undulating and rolling against each other until their breathing grew harsh.  And Sean, his senses overwhelmed by pleasure, begged Viggo--not his king now, not here, but <i>Viggo</i>--to do something, <i>anything</i>.</p>
<p>Viggo, freed by Sean's pleas, did what he had wanted to do since he had first seen his golden man.  He licked his way down Sean's body, stopping to kiss and suckle taut nipples, and count his way down ticklish ribs, until he arrived at Sean's cock, hard and pulsing slightly with Sean's heartbeat.  He licked at the head, and smiled at Sean's moan... and then, with a deep breath, dove all the way down until he held all of Sean's sex in his mouth.</p>
<p>Sean's broken moan nearly did Viggo in as well--but he marshaled years of training and celibacy to keep himself in check.  This time was for Sean--he'd take his pleasure later.  Setting a strong rhythm, he worked his mouth along Sean's cock, sucking strongly, wrapping his tongue around the head... and it didn't take long before Sean's hands were fisted in his hair, and Sean's groans echoing in his ears as he came, his hot salty essence filling Viggo's mouth.</p>
<p>Viggo swallowed, loving his paxman's (<i>and lover now,</i> he thought smugly) taste, but he needed more.  Before he could ask, Sean reached down and pulled his legs up and open--and his eyes begged, though he could not voice the request.</p>
<p>Viggo, knowing the trust placed in him, slowly and reverently prepared his lover, and when he slid inside Sean for the first time, it was like coming home--the heat and tightness of Sean's passage gripped him lovingly, and the heat and passion in Sean's eyes reached to his heart.  He'd meant to go slow, but his vaunted control couldn't last in the face of Sean's passion, and soon his rhythm was hard and fast, erratic, until, with a shout of triumph, he came deep inside Sean, who groaned with pleasure at the feeling.</p>
<p>They lay entwined together for a few more minutes, and Sean whimpered as Viggo slid out of him--but Viggo simply curled his body around Sean's wrapping him from head to foot.  They fell asleep that way, curled together as lovers.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The next morning, Sean woke slowly, warm and safe.  But once he was fully awake, what he'd done terrified him.  <i>I have done the worst thing possible for a bodyguard, endangered my king for my own lusts.  Oh god, I must get out of here, now!</i></p>
<p>But as he slipped out of bed, Viggo woke, and caught his wrist.  "Where are you going, <i>fy'n galon</i>?"</p>
<p>Sean stammered something about chores that needed to be done, a half-garbled explanation made worse by his nervousness.</p>
<p>Viggo sighed, knowing the real reason behind his bodyguard's sudden departure.  It looked like he would have to explain things, sooner than he had wished to... but he could not lose Sean over this.  "Sean, as my healer and bodyguard, your role is to keep me safe and sound in body and spirit.  You know that.  Is it not also your duty to keep your king happy?"</p>
<p>Sean looked pensive, but responded, "It is, sire, and I try."</p>
<p>Viggo snorted at the "sire," but let it pass... this was no time to press formalities.  "I know.  But I have never felt so happy, so safe, and so balanced as when I lay in your arms last night, and you in mine.  So I would say your job is well done."</p>
<p>Sean opened his mouth to protest--he didn't want this as an extension of his role, for goodness sake!--but Viggo silenced him with a finger laid across his lips.</p>
<p>"I did not lie with you, Sean, because I wished to lie with my bodyguard, but because I wished to do so with the man I love, and with whom I feel completely safe.  You, not your roles or your titles.  Just you."</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Sean doubled his efforts to keep his king--<i>his lover</i>--safe.  And for a time, there was no trouble.  But then, one day, the king's enemies got by Sean's guard.</p>
<p>The king, so hale and hearty, suddenly fell deathly ill--and nothing the palace physicians could do helped.  He'd been poisoned, that was clear enough--but how or with what, no-one could tell--and therefore no antidote could be found.  The king, it seemed, was dying.</p>
<p>Sean was devastated.  He loved Viggo with all his heart and tried every remedy he knew, but nothing helped, and the king grew weaker every day, the blue eyes fading.  There had to be *something* he could do--he wouldn't let the King die without a fight.</p>
<p>And then he remembered the death glass.  Looking through, he saw with relief that Death was not yet at the head of the bed-but he was on his way there.  There *had* to be a way to stop Death--to cheat him.  He remembered the warning of the old beggar, but disregarded it--he would face Death's curse, be a beggar for the rest of his life, if it meant saving Viggo.</p>
<p>Clever though he was, he could not think of any way.  Even David, who was by far smarter than he, could not think of anything.</p>
<p>They were running out of time, for every night, Death was closer to the head of the bed.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>The answer came, as such answers do, in a surprising way.  Sean was helping David shift some furniture in his house, and when they turned the bed around, reversing the head and foot, Sean realized that if he could trick Death into believing he was at the head of Viggo's bed when he was actually standing at the foot, there might be hope.</p>
<p>That night, when the servants changed the linen on the King's bed, as they did every night, Sean held his king tenderly, kissed him with all the fervor he could manage.  These might be their last moments together, and he wanted to remember his Viggo forever.  When the sheets were changed, Sean laid Viggo back in the bed with his head at the foot of the bed and his feet at the head.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath, and looked through the death-glass.  Death was indeed standing at the head of the bed--which was now the foot.  Sean, gambling everything, announced that Viggo would recover... and watched Death look again at where he was, and a scowl formed on Death's face.  Sean held his breath--he knew that Death was volatile, and that this might just be his last clever act.</p>
<p>But Death is never predictable.</p>
<p>He smiled wryly, and stepped away from the bed.  "I congratulate you, Sean.  You are the king's bodyguard in truth, for I cannot touch him.  It's not often someone can outwit Death so cleverly.  You and your king deserve a reward."  He frowned thoughtfully.  "Since you have showed such loyalty to him, and he to you, you both shall die when you please, together.  You will live happily, without threat of my presence, for as long as you wish--I will not come for you until you ask.  On one condition, though--never try to trick me again.  Use the death-glass as you please, for you were given it fairly, but should you try to outwit me again, you will fail--and you'll be mine, and parted from your King forever.  Do we have an accord?"</p>
<p>Sean smiled in relief. "Gladly." And Death clasped Sean's hand in his cold one, and smiled in return, then turned to the bed.  "May your rule be long and just, King Viggo, and may you always remember the jewel you hold as your paxman."  And Viggo, miraculously healed, could do nothing but smile.</p>
<p>**********</p>
<p>Viggo's reign was indeed long and happy, and he and Sean lived to a fine old age.  Sean never again tried to trick Death... he had learned his lesson.</p>
<p>When they finally called Death to them, he embraced them with warm arms, and so they died as they had lived, together, in each other's arms.</p>
<p>And the death-glass?  Well, perhaps if you give a bit of bread to the next beggar you find on the road, he'll tell you.</p>
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